WeedWeek’s publisher just said Democrats need to take back the Senate if they want more legal weed

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On today’s 420 day podcast, we’ve got Alex Halperin, a special guest from the left coast who is both the news publisher behind WeedWeek and the author of a new book “The Cannabis Dictionary.” 

You can find Alex’s prior journalism in Slate, the Washington Post, and New Yorker, more recently he’s been writing full time about weed and brings an interesting perspective to the many questions about marijuana during the coronavirus crisis, and it’s future. 

Many states are declaring marijuana businesses to be essential during the coronavirus pandemic which is a milestone moment for the nascent industry. 

We also discussed racial equality in the marijuana industry, political currents surrounding legalization and a whole lot more.

You can buy our Meet the Candidates 2020 book about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden here or at Barnes & Noble.

Here is a lightly edited for grammar partial transcript of our conversation:

Alex Halperin WeedWeek

Scott Dworkin: Alex Halperin lives in Los Angeles and he’s the founder, editor, and publisher of weed week, which is also the name of his podcast. The Cannabis Dictionary is his first book and it was published in March. Alex, thanks for joining me today for 420 day. How are you? 

Alex Halperin: Great to be here. 

Scott Dworkin: Well, given everything else; it’s nice to be able to have some positive energy go round and  I appreciate all the work you do, and especially your book coming out. It’s gonna be a great read for people who are staying home right now. 

So, for  420 days, I wanted to ask you a question about weed.

What would you be your recommended strain of the day for a good four 20, Obviously house party by yourself, today at home for this most, unusual April 20th; and how is the cannabis world celebrating its first virtual 420? 

Alex Halperin: It, I think it’s helping a lot of people out probably, and helping them pass the time, and state governments are recognizing it as essential.  Which is sort of interesting? It’s the first time that’s happened with the first virtual divorce court in 2020, a bunch of companies are throwing concerts and streaming festivals with comedians and musicians and, and stuff like that.

And one guy, the head of a company called Flower Company is trying to set a world record for most people consuming cannabis on video chat.

Scott Dworkin: Let’s keep going this time on the topic of the day for everybody, a COVID, but we’ll mix it with cannabis. I have heard that marijuana stores or in other businesses are being considered essential, as you had mentioned during the coronavirus pandemic. Is this a turning point for the industry where it starts further down the path to full legalization, just like alcohol?

I guess like what I’m trying to ask here, Alex, is can we use weed to smoke our way out of the economic contraction that Trump caused by ignoring COVID? 

Like, really. For real.

Alex Halperin: There’s a lot of talk now in the industry among insiders that, ‘Hey, we’re in the central business now.’  The main exception to that is in Massachusetts, which is not allowing recreational shops to open, and a judge supported that decision. But for the most part, most states are saying, ‘Hey, this is essential.’ And they’re making it easier for people to buy with, curbside pickup and stuff like that, that makes them feel more secure about the virus. But, but it goes further than that. Cannabis businesses aren’t eligible for relief from the federal stimulus.

[00:03:37] And even, cannabis adjacent businesses are, are not eligible. So, my media company,  we’re not eligible, although there. It seems like the small business administration is drawing the line and saying like if you’re a sort of heating and air vac contractor or, or a carpenter or electrician, then you’re eligible.

But if you’re actively involved or could be perceived as involved in promoting marijuana use, then you’re not eligible. I don’t know if the would stand up in court, but that’s sort of the case it is now. But, yeah. What I would say is; the industry and the cannabis world is no stranger to these kinds of ironies. Right now medical marijuana is legal in dozens of States, but it is still federally illegal.

And as a result of that, it doesn’t get the sort of privileges, but normal businesses do. Most notably, it can’t access to the banking system. And here’s this ought to talk to this could accelerate, acceptance and it may; but at the same time, it probably needs Mitch McConnell to approve it in the Senate. And there’s really no indication that he, he is interested in legalizing marijuana…

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